RecruitingNot Applicable

JOB STRESS in OPHthalmology Physicians and Residents

France30 participantsStarted 2021-07-06

Plain-language summary

Ophthalmology physicians and residents work under stress conditions during night emergency ophthalmology shifts. Under time pressure, that is a characteristic of the urgency of care, they must use all their cognitive resources to make an accurate diagnosis and to provide accurate decisions, with sometimes surgical emergency acts. In addition, in France, they work at night following by an usual day work, and they can also work 48 consecutive hours during weekends, followed by a work day … i.e. 60 consecutive hours of work … Long working hours with a short recovery time has been demonstrated to be a major factor of stress and fatigue. Even if not demonstrated on ophthalmologists, those working conditions may contribute to symptoms of mental exhaustion and physical fatigue (sleep deprivation), often accompanied by a loss of motivation at work. This may leads to a feeling of loss of time control; stress can also distort the perception of time and leads to hasty actions or delayed decision-making. The combined effects of stress, feelings of loss of time control, and fatigue necessarily have an impact on work performance and work quality, with a high risk of medical error. Moreover, prolonged stress may expose ophthalmologists to a higher risk of multiple diseases, predominantly systemic inflammation and coronary heart disease. The main hypothesis is that prolonged work (up to 60 consecutive working hours) may impact on HRV, comparatively to a typical working day.

Who can participate

Age range

18 Years – 65 Years

Sex

ALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion Criteria: * Ophthalmologists defined as physicians who completed the ophthalmology DES (Specialized studies diploma), as well as ophthalmology residents defined as a resident registered in the ophthalmology DES working during the inclusion period in the ophthalmology department of the university hospital center of Clermont-Ferrand. * Ability to give a written informed consent to participate in research. * Affiliation to a social security system. * Age between 18 and 65 years old Exclusion Criteria: * Participant refusal to participate * Children under the age of 18, pregnant and breastfeeding women, protected adults (individuals under guardianship by court order), adults deprived of their liberty.

Questions worth asking your doctor

Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.

1This study is measuring heart rate variability as a way to assess job stress in ophthalmology physicians and residents — can you explain what heart rate variability actually tells us about stress, and whether participating in this kind of monitoring would give me any useful information about my own health?
2Since this trial is listed as 'Phase NA,' which typically means it's an observational or non-interventional study rather than a treatment trial, can you help me understand exactly what I would be asked to do as a participant — for example, would I be wearing a heart rate monitor during my work shifts?
3Given that this study focuses specifically on ophthalmology physicians and residents, am I even part of the target population being studied, and if not, are there similar stress or cardiovascular monitoring studies that would be more relevant to my situation?
4If I do participate, will I receive my own heart rate variability results, and could those results be shared with you so we can discuss whether they point to any health concerns worth following up on?
5Are there any potential downsides or risks to being monitored in a workplace stress study — for example, could the data collection process itself add stress, or are there any privacy considerations I should think through before deciding?

Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.

Questions for the trial coordinator

The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.

1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?

A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.

What they're measuring

Heart rate variability

Timeframe: During 34 hours in the five different conditions

Trial details

NCT IDNCT04959838

SponsorUniversity Hospital, Clermont-Ferrand

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2027-07

Contact for this trial

Lise Laclautre

334.73.754.963 promo_interne_drci@chu-clermontferrand.fr

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Stress trials